So im just wondering how do I tell if my dog is high medium or low drive. Do you have to work the drive into your dog, does it just come naturally, what about food food drives, should my dog be following my food filled hand everywhere if its really food driven or is that something you teach?

Experts will come... but for me, the non expert, when I have a ball, Titan will literally do anything he needs to to get that ball, and he never ever stops at it until he's told to, that IME is high drive. He didn't have a food drive when he was growing up.. but now we found the treat of his dreams and he will now work for treats if need be.. so I would say he had a low food drive.

Low drive shepherd is a relative term. What would be high drive for a basset hound is low for a shepherd.

When they're little, food drive is awesome to have. Getting the treat is their payday for their hard work. One of mine refused to train for treats but she'd do anything to get me to shake that tug. Otto is very food driven but he's fiercely independent, if he's distracted for a reason, I could have a prime rib in my pocket and he wouldn't care because he's focused on what he thinks he needs to do.

Experts will come... but for me, the non expert, when I have a ball, Titan will literally do anything he needs to to get that ball, and he never ever stops at it until he's told to, that IME is high drive. He didn't have a food drive when he was growing up.. but now we found the treat of his dreams and he will now work for treats if need be.. so I would say he had a low food drive.

These should come naturally.. as far as I know.

He's not to crazy about either of them. But doesn't mean he won't pkay with a ball or wonu work for his treats. I've watched videos where puppies paw and sniff and lick at a hand filled witg food. But my guy will just sniff and try to bite my hand and If he doesn't get it shortly he'll just go on his way to whatever. And as for a ball. He'll play fectch for a few tosses then he's back to doing whatever he wants. In the house if im not playing tug with him, which he does seem to enjoy and will put up a fight for a few mins then he starts laying down and holding on to the tug. I guess I just expect more out of him. I see these videos of 7 week old puppies going crazy for the tug and treats and just wish my pup would put forth tge same effort. He likes to sit down and chew on things. Not as exciting as im hoping for. But then again I don't take him too far from the house because he hasn't had all his shots yet.

Sounds like a puppy being a puppy.. "Oh treats!" "oh tug!" "Oh ball!" Sometimes you have to find what his drives are! Maybe the treats you have just aren't it for him. I know of only one treat that Titan will actually work hard to get. Same with toys.. some like tugs, some like balls, some like frisbees, some just like interacting with YOU more than anything else.

Sounds like a puppy being a puppy.. "Oh treats!" "oh tug!" "Oh ball!" Sometimes you have to find what his drives are! Maybe the treats you have just aren't it for him. I know of only one treat that Titan will actually work hard to get. Same with toys.. some like tugs, some like balls, some like frisbees, some just like interacting with YOU more than anything else.

The only rhing he really likes to do with me is chase me around the house. If we are outside he's off doing his thing.

I see these videos of 7 week old puppies going crazy for the tug and treats and just wish my pup would put forth tge same effort. He likes to sit down and chew on things. Not as exciting as im hoping for. But then again I don't take him too far from the house because he hasn't had all his shots yet.

There's a lot to be said for the puppy who wants to chill out chewing opposed to the puppy who's all out all the time.

When you tug with him, sometimes he wins, sometimes you do. Is he not bringing it back? Does he engage again if you take it back? A confident and independent pup will take it because he's won but he's not bringing it back. He won and he's keeping it.

Whether your puppy is food reactive or not depends on his mother's milk and number of puppies in the litter, higher the competition - hungrier they feel. Make him ball mad, train to place the ball in your hand as an exhange for a treat. Later on you wouldn't need any treats, his ball will be his best treat.
Puppies of 3 months of age with high predatory drive are mad of toys. 20 minutes of continuous play is not enough, 2 hours of play with short breaks is not enogh, a puppy with a high drive could be dropping out of exhaustion - still he wants to continue chasing the ball, and will look for it restlessly until found if the ball was lost in the grass. They are also very posessive of their toys, and if he doesn't want to give it back to you - that is a good sign. Don't train outing without any experienced instructor. Obedience in the ordinary class can spoil high drives of a good Schutzhund puppy, it is better to do obedience in the Schutz club, and I suggest you to assess him there.

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